"Cousin..."
I slowly opened my eyes to see Monica kneeled down in front of me.
I lifted my head to see that I was lying on the couch with a blanket over me.
"It's five in the morning," she whispered. "E is on his way to pick me up. Did you want to go or stay here with..." She looked over.
I looked at the other end of the couch to see Deonte asleep in a sitting position. I sat up and reached for his arm. "Deonte," I cleared my raspy throat. "Deonte..."
He woke up and smiled when he saw me. "Jamie."
I smiled back. "Zeke is on his way to pick us up."
Deonte stretched before standing up. "I'll walk y'all out."
Monica stood up. "Thank you for everything. I'll return your clothes--"
"Keep 'em. I have plenty. Do y'all have everything?" He asked us.
I shook my head.
"I'll go get our clothes and shoes. Be back." Monica left us.
"What time is it?" Deonte asked me.
I yawned. "'Cuse me. It's 5 a.m."
"I'm gonna be sleep for the rest of the day." He sat back down. "I wish y'all could stay for breakfast. Cha Cha wakes up a little later on the weekends."
"It's okay. I'm sure Zeke will take us to get breakfast."
Deonte said, "Remember, I got your back no matter what you decide to do. Don't worry at all about Aja."
"Well, she's living up to her new song," I recalled.
Deonte stated, "It's a hit. It'll be her biggest song. Her album will probably surpass her first one. With this new image, she will gain more fans and make Ricky even richer... but that's how the game goes."
I stood to my feet. "She was doing great making the music she was making." I began folding the blanket.
"In this business, you can't ride the wave, because... eventually it will crash. You have to stay above it even when it's something that goes against who you are as a person. Unfortunately, that's how a lot of people lose themselves. You can only act or pretend for so long. That's why I don't act."
I thought about what Cha Cha told me. "That's why you decline to be in Stayah McCoy's stage plays."
Deonte grinned, "Cha Cha told you?"
"She did. I really like Stayah McCoy's work, but after hearing what you just said, I get it. I've heard stories about actors who can't shake a character they've played. It's sad."
"Life is real. I rather not play with mine like that. Music is all I need whether I'm making money in it or not."
I sat back down and put the blanket on the arm of the couch. "We fell asleep while we were talking, and you said something that made me be honest with myself."
We looked at one another.
I continued, "I haven't told anyone this, and I don't think I will until it happens, but--"
"You're quitting," he stated.
I arched my brow in surprise. "How did you...?"
Deonte was silent before lightly laughing to himself.
"What's so funny? I wanna laugh." I slide closer to him.
"Nah, I was just thinking about... It's nothing. One day, I'll make you some popcorn and you can sit and listen to me talk about my days with The CRU and whatever else you want to know about me."
I fired back with "what if I have a boyfriend by then?"
Deonte smiled at me. "If you do, then tell him we're working on a music project."
"Hopefully, it's a real music project," I told him.
"Zeke is here!"
I nearly jumped at the loudness entering the quiet room.
"Let's go." Deonte led the way.
Monica whispered to me, "Girl, why did I fall asleep after packing our stuff?" She handed me a duffle bag.
"Where did you get this?" I asked her.
"I found it in the closet. You'll bring it back." She winked at me.
In the garage, Zeke got out the back of a black Escalade. "Morning, baby." He tightly hugged Monica. "You okay? You hurt?" He asked her while searching her face, hands, and arms. "Anybody touch you?"
"E, I'm okay. Deonte and his security was there. They helped a lot."
I don't know why I was shocked at Monica's answer. I expected her to say more. Maybe, she didn't want Zeke to be too upset. I can understand that.
"Make sure you get them something to eat. It was a long night," Deonte told Zeke.
Zeke walked over to Deonte. "I appreciate you, bro. Thank you." They locked hands.
"You know I got you, Z."
Zeke turned to Monica. "Baby, you can get in the back and take a nap. We'll stop and get some food on the way back to the house."
Like I said and thought before - they're already married. I stood still holding the duffle bag like a bellhop as Monica got in the vehicle.
"Man, I should've delayed my flight," Zeke spoke to Deonte. "What happened in there, D?"
Deonte lowered his voice. The words and partial sentences that I heard were: Aja, Jamie fell, guards grabbed Monica and threw her out, broke her phone, take a deep breath, don't worry, my people took care of it.
I slowly made my way to the Escalade; eventually, I joined Monica in the back. I smacked my lips at the sight of her.
"Moni!" I tapped her leg. "Wake up."
Monica opened her eyes, looking at me. "What? I'm ti'ed."
"What's ti'ed?" I teased her.
Monica folded her arms before closing her eyes.
I asked, "Cousin, how were you able to call Zeke when your phone got crushed by that crazy guard?"
Monica smirked, "I told you I had my phone and one of E's phones. I recorded everything with my phone and when they grabbed me Zeke's phone fell when we got outside. I almost passed out when I thought it was my phone."
"You recorded on which phone?" I asked her.
Monica kicked her feet. "Jamie, we barely slept. I haven't ate since yesterday. Can I please get a few minutes of sleep. Please?" She begged me.
I chuckled, "Go to sleep you big baby." I looked out the window to see Deonte and Zeke still talking.
Between Zeke getting the story from Deonte and Monica's recording, I didn't know whether to sleep now like my cousin or sleep later after everything goes down.
Just then, I heard something vibrating. I opened the duffle bag, and I pulled out my phone. I looked at the screen to see A.B.'s name. My heart beat increased. Why am I suddenly nervous? I finally answered the phone.
"Jamie, I heard about what happened? Are you okay?"
"Yes."
A.B. sighed, "I'm glad to hear that. I'm wrapping up everything here, and I should be there tomorrow night."
"Zeke just got back. So, you don't have to rush to get here," I told him.
A.B. stated, "Jamie, I wouldn't rush to see you. That's too slow. When I see you, time will be rushing to catch up with me."
My mouth was wide open.
He added, "Don't blink too much, you might miss me."
This man just put game in my ear, and I like it. I couldn't conceal my smile. "Mr. Bravos..." I chuckled, "I just don't want you to put me before your business. That's all."
"Business will be fine. I'm gonna call you this afternoon if you're not sleep."
"I won't be," I spoke way too soon. I need to be catching Zs like Monica.
"Alright. I'll talk to you soon, Jamie."
"Talk to you soon. Bye, A.B."
"Bye, beautiful."
We hung up.
"Bye, Jamie!" Deonte waved at me as Zeke got in the vehicle.
"Bye, Deonte!" I blew him a kiss, waving out the window.
His eyes were wide and full of surprise.
The driver put his foot on the gas.
I took my hand back as if it had offended me. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" I shouted as we drove away.
I sat back in my seat.
Zeke said, "Somebody got close."
Monica looked at him. "They slept on the couch together."
I pretended to throw my phone at her. "Go back to sleep, nosey!"
She lightly laughed, "Let me get my rest so time can rush to catch up with me."
I gasped. She was listening the whole time. Why is she so sneaky?
Zeke wrapped his arm around her. "Baby, what you want to eat?"
"Whatever my cousin wants," she told her boyfriend.
I was glad we were behaving like we normally do even after the awful night we had.